WTC Health Program: Petition Process

1. The Administrator of the WTC Health Program receives a petition from an interested party to add a condition to the condition to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions.

2. Within 60 days of receipt of the petition, the Administrator must do one of the following:

Request a recommendation of the Scientific/Technical Advisory Committe (Stac)

The STAC has 60 days after the date of the request from the Administrator or no later than a date specified by the Administrator (but not more than 180 days after the request), to provide a recommendation (including the basis for the recommendation) to the Administrator. If the Administrator decides to publish a proposed rule or a determination not to publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register, it will be done no later than 60 days after the date of the STAC recommendation.

Publish a proposed rule to add such health condition in the Federal Register

The proposed rule will provide interested parties a period of 30 days to submit written comments on the proposed rule. The Administrator may extend the comment period for good cause.

Publish in the Federal Register the Administrator's determination not to publish a proposed rule and the basis for that determination

Publish in the Federal Register a determination that insufficient evidence exists to take action on the petition

Note: The Administrator is required to consider a new petition for a condition previously determined not to qualify for addition to the list of WTC-related health conditions only if the new petition presents a new medical basis (i.e., not previously reviewed) for the association between the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the condition to be added.